Childcare vs Summer

Today is Friday… the last day of school for my kiddos was today. Summer has officially arrived for our family. That is both a wonderful event, and a not so great event. I have found myself weighing my childcare options for the next 3 months…. and beyond. As I try to concentrate on the grand event of Summer, the warm sun, long days, late nights, bbq’s, bubbles, amusement park rides, and making memories, the nagging voice in the back of my mind reminds me of my lack of childcare. How am I going to be able to work and give my kid’s the Summer that they deserve? Here I am in the middle of the tug of war battle between childcare vs Summer.

I love my kids. And I want the absolute best care money can buy. But realistically, I cannot afford the most expensive childcare that is available. I have a budget. And I need to stick to it. Even though I enjoy working, I refuse to pay out of my pocket to work. The numbers have to crunch for me to spend my time away from raising my family. A huge number that comes into play when I am crunching the numbers is childcare cost. Since my boys are so far apart in age, almost 13, 8, and 2, the ideal situation is to have someone come into my home and provide care where we live. This situation can also become expensive quickly. I came up with a way to justify this expense. And it is quite simple. Charge what I am worth. That includes the cost of childcare. Lets face it, life is expensive. Everything we need to live; gas, food, clothes, homes, is down right outrageous. Instead of being overwhelmed with the price of life I have decided to charge what I am worth and not hesitate for one moment about the price tag of my services. For every potential client out there that says no to my fee, there is another that will not only give me a yes, but they will see the value in what my services provide.

By charging what I am worth I get the best of both worlds. I do not have to work all summer to afford childcare, nor do I have to sacrifice the memories for days spent behind a computer screen. I can work on my schedule to pay for the trip to the beach, one more merry-go-round ride, and a visit to the zoo. Once you find that balance, put your foot down. There is a way to have both, you just need to set the expectation and finances and stick to it. Do not get stuck paying out of your pocket for childcare. Set your standards. Reach that goal so you can move onto bigger things. Give your family the best of both worlds.